The Moscow Exchange will let retail investors buy Bitcoin, Ether and USDT starting December 1, 2026. Buyers face a 300,000-ruble annual cap and a knowledge test, while qualified investors face looser rules.
The Moscow Exchange, known as MOEX, will launch spot trading in digital assets on December 1, 2026. Retail investors will have an annual purchase limit of 300,000 rubles, or approximately $3,600, and must pass a knowledge test before buying.
Three assets for everyday investors
Retail buyers can trade Bitcoin, Ether and Tether's USDT, a dollar-linked stablecoin. That is the full list for anyone without qualified investor status.
The product itself marks the bigger change. Until now, MOEX offered crypto exposure through derivatives, which track a price without handing over the underlying asset. With spot trading, investors will own the coins.
Qualified investors, by contrast, face no purchase limits and can access a wider range of digital assets.
Legal framework and infrastructure
The framework rests on Federal Law No. 282-FZ, which took effect on September 1, 2026. MOEX then began testing the system with professional market participants on October 1, 2026, two months before opening day.
MOEX will run the trading through its existing systems and licenses rather than a standalone venue. It needs no new licenses beyond its current authorization as a trading organizer. Digital depositories will handle settlement.
Banks prepare services
Sberbank and VTB, two of Russia's major banks, are preparing digital asset services for their clients ahead of the launch.
Market analysts, however, predict that approximately 80% of digital asset trading volume will remain in unregulated channels. Russians trading on those platforms face no purchase limits and no tests.
Source: Crypto Briefing
Trading involves risk.
Risk Disclaimer
